


I Felt The Earth Move

by systems



Category: Free!
Genre: ??? - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Tumblr Prompt, improper hospital protocol, it's longer, redraft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 19:02:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7695739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/systems/pseuds/systems
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the aftermath of an earthquake, Makoto watches the news and waits to hear from Rin. </p><p>Added scenes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Felt The Earth Move

"Our coverage of the bridge collapse on [highway] continues," the anchor says in a most professional tone. "Rescue teams have been forced to pull back after wreckage started to slide during the most recent aftershocks and the area was deemed unstable. They're hoping to get back in there soon, but we have no estimated timeframe for that." 

The camera pans over the area, far enough out to see the scale of the destruction. 

 

Rin still isn't picking up. 

 

Makoto calls Haru. 

"I can't get in touch with Rin."

Haru tries, but he can't calm Makoto down. He doesn't know any more than Makoto, and he knows better than to lie. 

 

And then, two hours of news coverage and unreturned phone calls later, he sees it. There's a close-up of a pile of cars, and there's the red coupe Rin drove to Tokyo. The windows are broken and the frame is crunched up on itself like rolled up aluminum foil. The passenger side door is missing, ripped off its hinges. Hanging from the rear view mirror is the green jellyfish he'd bought in Sydney, a garish bright spot where everything is dusty and torn. 

"Do we have any idea of how many victims yet?" the anchor asks. 

The field reporter evades the question, and Makoto turns away. 

 

The phone rings. It's not a number he knows. 

"Hello, is this Tachibana Makoto-san? This is Keio University Hospital in Tokyo. You're listed as the emergency contact for Matsuoka Rin, is that correct?"

"Yes," he tries to say, but the word sticks in his throat. "Yes," he says again, clearer. 

"I'm sorry to have to inform you, but Matsuoka-san was involved in an accident today."

"The bridge?"

"Yes," she says, after a moment's hesitation. "Are you able to get to the hospital?" 

He tells her it will take him two hours to get there. The woman gives him information about where to enter and who to talk to when he arrives. He avoids the emergency room, but the front of the building is just as crowded with people, and there are multiple news crews broadcasting from outside the hospital, though this can't be the only facility to be treating victims. 

 

"Tachibana-san, I'm sorry to have to ask this of you, but we need you to formally identify the body."

A chill runs through him as the implication hits, and for a moment Makoto forgets how to breathe. He can't imagine a life without Rin, is his first thought. He doesn't want to. But the hospital workers are waiting for him, so he presses his lips firmly together and nods. 

After the chaos outside, the mortuary is eerily quiet. Their footsteps echo down the hall. 

It's so unfair, Makoto thinks. He shouldn't have to do this. He shouldn't lose Rin like this; they should've grown old together, and spoiled Gou's kids, and the twins', when they got old enough for families of their own. He wonders how he'll tell Gou, or Haru, or anyone. 

There are several bodies, covered with sheets, on gurneys that are all lined up. 

"Is he here to identify a body?" a young woman asks. 

The workers confer and lead Makoto to the third gurney in the line. The mortician pulls the sheet back, exposing Rin's face, neck, and collarbones. Except - it's not Rin. 

Makoto shakes his head vigorously. He barely manages to say, "Not him," before he feels faint enough to grasp the counter behind him for support. He's brought back to an office that smells of formaldehyde and disinfectant, and they ask him again. "No," he tells them. "I'm positive that's not Rin." 

The nurse hands him the personal effects, and sure enough, it's Rin's wallet, but. 

"This isn't his watch, and these aren't his keys." He hands them back. 

 

He crosses the lobby, keeping his head low. He just wants to go home. He's holding out hope that Rin will be there. Maybe this was all just a misunderstanding. He has Rin's I.D. in his pocket, but maybe Rin escaped Tokyo before the quake. 

The image of their wrecked car rises to the front of his mind. Despite the reprieve, he knows he still might have to deal with his worst fears. 

His phone rings. His hand shakes as he takes it from his pocket. The number isn't familiar. With a sinking heart, he answers, "Hello?" 

"Hi, Makoto," Rin says. 

Makoto stops walking. "Oh my god. Rin?"

"Hey. Don't panic but I'm in the hospital. I'm still in Tokyo." 

Makoto hardly registers this past the pounding in his head. Rin's alive. He's okay. "Which hospital?"

"I'm at Keio. I need you to pick me up. They won't let me leave unaccompanied because I hit my head. I can give you directions; I asked a nurse." His voice is so normal, so unlike the rest of this surreal day. 

"What floor are you on? I'm here."

Rin falters. "Um, fifth floor? Makoto, are you alright? You weren't supposed to be in Tokyo today. What are you doing at the hospital?" 

"I'm on my way up," Makoto says. 

"Okay," Rin says, sounding unsure. 

Makoto turns and heads back into the main building and takes the elevator up to the fifth floor. He steps into the lobby and wonders where he needs to go from here. 

"Oi, Makoto!"

He freezes. He'd know that voice anywhere.

"Rin?" He turns, spots red hair and a tired grin. "Rin!"

His boyfriend is standing in the waiting area across from the elevators. 

Makoto crosses to him in long strides and sweeps Rin into his arms, pulling him close with all the strength of his fears. 

"Ow, ow, careful. I've got cracked ribs," Rin says, pulling back. He's bruised across his forehead, and there's a bandage covering one cheek, but he's alive. "Are you okay? You look awful." 

"I thought you were dead," Makoto says. It's the first time he's said it out loud since that phone call hours ago, and it feels like dislodging something that's been sticking through his heart all night. "They told me you were dead."

Rin pales, and Makoto knows immediately that he understands the weight he'd been carrying. "Oh, Mako, I'm so sorry. I lost my wallet this morning on the way to work. I was pretty out of it when I got here; they didn't know my name until I told them. That must be why-"

"I have your wallet," Makoto interrupts. He takes it from his pocket and hands it to Rin. "It was on the body they wanted me to identify." 

"Oh, Makoto," Rin says again. He looks ready to cry. 

Makoto can't help himself, he pulls Rin into his arms again. "I'm so relieved. You have no idea." 

Rin's arms wrap around him, strong and sure, and he says, "Let's go sit down." 

Rin leads the way down a hallway, holding Makoto's hand. They enter a small ward, where Rin has a bed. 

"I thought you wanted me to pick you up," Makoto says confusedly. 

"I didn't expect you to get here for a couple hours at least," Rin explains. "They wanted me to stay here for a bit longer but not overnight. Plus, I wanted to call you as soon as I could."

"Oh." Makoto's voice comes out smaller than he meant it to. He watches as Rin boosts himself up to the bed, which is raised a bit too high for him. 

"Yeah." Rin settles himself against the pillows and holds out both hands for Makoto to take.

"You were on the bridge," Makoto says. 

"Yeah," Rin says quietly. "Right near the edge, luckily. I got stuck in the car. They pulled the door completely off to get me out." 

Makoto squeezes Rin's hands. 

"I don't know how long I was in there. The clock got smashed and I couldn't reach my phone. I tried to get out for a while, but then. I guess I got scared. I couldn't move the seat, I couldn't open the doors. I just sat there." Rin looks up. "I worried about you." 

"Rin," Makoto breathes. 

"I thought, what if this is it? Who's going to tell Makoto? Who would look out for you? Who would be with you, when I wasn't?" Rin says, voice shaking. "I didn't want to think about it."

"I'm here," Makoto says. It's the only thing he can think of, and it feels woefully inadequate. "I'm so glad you're safe." 

Rin looks at him, really looks, and Makoto watches him seem to come back into himself. "Me too." 

Makoto makes up his mind and reaches over to adjust the angle of the bed. When it starts to move with the creak of a motor, Rin squawks in momentary surprise and sits up straighter. Makoto tips the pillows out of the way and slides into a seated position behind Rin. It's not ideal; he'd rather see Rin's face. But at least it lets him hold Rin in his arms, to feel the weight and heat of him, to bury his nose in his hair. 

Rin leans back into him and rests his hands over Makoto's. 

"You said you cracked your ribs," Makoto says. "What else? I don't want to hurt you."

"Cracked two ribs, right side. Your arm is okay where it is, don't worry. Hit my head on the steering wheel but didn't pass out, so I get to leave today. Cut my cheek on broken glass and my thigh on something, I don't know what. A few bruises and scrapes, and I'm pretty sore. This feels nice, though," he adds when Makoto starts to withdraw. "You're warm." 

"I'll hold you as much as you'll let me," Makoto says. He rests his head against Rin's. 

 

They spend the next three hours together in that ward. Makoto is only vaguely aware of the activity around them. The other conversations between patients and loved ones, the bustling hospital staff, they all fade into a steady rumble. He moves to the chair beside Rin's bed after a while, encourages him to get a little sleep if he's able. It's been a long day already. Makoto keeps watch over him, not able to give himself over to sleep. 

A doctor comes by to ask Rin a few questions. He gives them papers on how to care for Rin's injuries, what to watch for, instructions to _call your doctor if_ , and _go to the hospital if_. It's much too late to get a train home, but Rin asks to be discharged anyway, so that they can go to a hotel and get some much-needed rest. 

Makoto calls a couple of hotels near the hospital until he finds one where he can book them a room. They take a quiet taxi ride through busy streets, get some toiletries from the front desk, and lock themselves in their room. Rin asks for a shower, but he's not supposed to get his bandages wet. Makoto has him sit on the closed toilet and washes his legs up to the knee, and his arms. They negotiate a little but Rin's fatigue wins out and they decide to just brush through his hair for dust before tying it up for sleeping. 

Makoto sets an alarm for as late as they think they can without risk of missing checkout. 

He lies awake for a while, thinking over what Rin had said in the hospital. He imagines being trapped and only able to wait for rescue. The thought makes it hard to stay still, but he tries to limit his fidgeting so that Rin won't be disturbed. He's still so anxious, despite the hours of being next to Rin, talking to Rin, watching him wake up from sleep. He breathes in a ragged breath and closes his eyes. 

Rin reaches out to him, resting his hand on Makoto's bicep. "Hey," he says. It's almost a whisper. "Can't sleep?"

"No," Makoto says. 

Rin reaches behind him and turns on the bedside lamp. It's small, but it pushes the shadows away from their bodies. "Me neither." 

Makoto shifts closer, turning on his side to face Rin. His boyfriend looks tired and somber. 

"I was really scared," Makoto says. "All afternoon. I kept trying to call you." 

"My phone is still in the car, I think." Rin sighs. "I'm sorry I couldn't call you sooner." 

Makoto shakes his head. "It's okay." 

"It's not," Rin says frankly. "None of this is okay. It will be, though." He puts his hand on Makoto's chest. "We'll go home tomorrow. I'll stay home for a while. I can do some work remotely and for the rest - I'll use up some of my vacation time."

"I love you," Makoto says. 

Rin smiles. "I love you, too," he says, stifling a yawn. Makoto can see how his eyelids are getting heavy, how each blink seems to be longer than the last. He feels calmer looking at Rin, so he keeps his eyes on him and places a hand over Rin's. 

They drift into sleep together.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt was: "I thought you were dead."
> 
> Edited and added to because I wanted to write more but was struggling with current projects.


End file.
